Eucomis plant named ‘EXC 051’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Eucomis  plant named ‘EXC 051’, characterized by its compact and outwardly arching plant habit with upright, strong and relatively short inflorescence stalks; freely flowering habit; and purple-colored flowers with white-colored centers.

Botanical designation: Eucomis hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘EXC 051’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Eucomis, botanically known as Eucomis hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘EXC 051’.

The new Eucomis is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Boijl, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Eucomis cultivars with unique and bright flower colors.

The new Eucomis originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2004 in Boijl, The Netherlands, of two unnamed selections of Eucomis hybrida, not patented. The new Eucomis was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Boijl, The Netherlands in 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Eucomis by bulb divisions in a controlled environment in Boijl, The Netherlands since the summer of 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Eucomis are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar EXC 051 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘EXC 051’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘EXC 051’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Eucomis:

-   -   1. Compact and outwardly arching plant habit with upright,         strong and relatively short inflorescence stalks.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Purple-colored flowers with white-colored centers.

Plants of the new Eucomis differ from plants of the parent selections in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Eucomis have shorter inflorescence stalks         than plants of the parent selections.     -   2. Plants of the new Eucomis and the parent selections differ in         flower color as plants of the parent selections have light         pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Eucomis can be compared to plants of the cultivar Sparkling Burgundy, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Boijl, The Netherlands, plants of the new Eucomis and the cultivar Sparkling Burgundy differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Eucomis were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Sparkling Burgundy.     -   2. Plants of the new Eucomis were not as vigorous as plants of         the cultivar Sparkling Burgundy.     -   3. Plants of the new Eucomis had shorter inflorescence stalks         than plants of the cultivar Sparkling Burgundy.     -   4. Plants of the new Eucomis had smaller flowers than plants of         the cultivar Sparkling Burgundy.     -   5. Plants of the new Eucomis and the cultivar Sparkling Burgundy         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Sparkling         Burgundy had pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Eucomis, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Eucomis.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘EXC 051’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘EXC 051’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Boijl, The Netherlands, under commercial practice during the summer in an outdoor nursery. Plants had been growing for about a year when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 15° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Eucomis hybrida cultivar EXC 051. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Eucomis             hybrida, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Eucomis             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By bulb divisions.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 20 to 30 days at 15° C. to 30°             C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy; light brown to white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous flowering perennial plant.             Compact plant habit with outwardly arching foliage with             upright, strong and relatively short inflorescence stalks.             Flowering stems and leaves basal; moderately vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About 50             cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 20 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement/form.—Basal rosette, simple, sessile.         -   Length.—About 35 cm to 40 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 cm to 5 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Decurrent.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:             Close to 146B, at the margins, 59A; venation, 146D.             Developing and fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146C, at the margins, 59A; midvein, 181A, and primary             veins, 147A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Numerous single funnelform flowers with             fused perianth arranged on terminal racemes; flowers face             outwardly. Perianth segments separate. Freely flowering             habit; about 60 to 70 flowers per raceme.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from June             to mid-September in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about 15 to 20 days             on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 8 mm to 10 mm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 79B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 30 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm to 7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 8 mm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Six petals arranged in a single whorl.             Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 77A. When opening, lower surface: Close to             79C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 79B; towards the             center, close to 155A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to             79A.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: About 10 to 15 leafy             bracts at the apex of the inflorescence stalk. Length: About             3 cm to 4 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Texture, upper and lowers             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 146B, at the margins, 71A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Diameter: About             1 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to N79B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             six. Filament length: About 7 mm. Filament color: Towards             the base, close to 155A; towards the apex, close to 77B.             Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color:             Close to 7B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to             5D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             8 mm. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color: Close to N79A.             Ovary color: Close to N79A.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Eucomis. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Eucomis have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Eucomis. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Eucomis have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures from −10° C. to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Eucomis plant named ‘EXC 051’ as illustrated and described. 